Collapsible funnel



NOV. 14, l933 R B }LLARD 1,935,324

COLLAPS IBLE FIAJNNEL Filed May 11, 1931 INVENTOR Ozif/@wf ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1933 n UNITED 'sl'rmesv rATENT oFFicE :1,935,34 Y coLLAIfsIBLE FUNNEL y Rufus Bibb Lillard, El` Paso, Tex. Application May 11, 1931. serial No. 536,589 s claims. (c1. 22e- 38) The presentinvention relates generally to funnels andmore particularly 'to collapsible vfun-- nels.

` It has been proposed heretofore to construct collapsible tunnels in certain ways, most of which made the-'manufacturing cost of such funnels relatively -much higher than of usual non-coll lapsible funnels. Also, many of Vsuoli proposed funnels"hadobjectionable `joints at which leakage often occurred aftersome use .of the funnel. Other proposed collapsible funnels were made of 'someimpermanent fabric -or flexible material which deteriorated while lkept in stock by the dealerl'and while'in use by the purchaser.

I' It is an: object of my invention to provide a collapsible funnelv that can be manufactured and sold forafrelatively small sum. It is another -object ofmy inventiongtoprovide a collapsible funnel of permanent material that will be without joints' that can easily cause leakage of liqnids poured through the funnel. Y Afu'rther object of my invention is the provisio'nfof a funnelv which'is capable of serving asa container for carrying liquids such as 'gasolinev or water. .In carrying out my Vinvention I provide a funnel of thin, pliable metal that can be quickly and easily collapsed, and thereafter easily spread open to have anoperative form.

Other features and advantages will appear hereinafter.

-lReferring tothe drawing which forms a part -of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective -view of a funnel embodyingrny invention and illustrating how it can be used as a container.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the funnel shown inFigure 1, the funnel being shown in substantially iiat'orv collapsed form. Figure 351s aside view partly in perspective illustrating one way that my funnel'mayk be employed with awell known kind of oil can. ll-igureV vl is a cross section along the line 4--4 'of Figure 3. I According `to one way my invention may be carried out, afunnel generally designated as 10 may have a conical body or bowl portion 11, an integral tubular stem or spout portion 12 and two integral ear portions 13 each havingk a hole 14 therethrough for a purpose to presently appear. 4,All of the above named parts vmay be ,made ofsome thin, pliable metal like so-called white metal or copper, or of some suitable alloy ofcopper or tin. When the funnel 10 is :opened out forV ordinary use it willhave the general appearance of a usual non-collapsible funnel. I, o

Many motorists, especially when touring, carry along in each of their cars, a funnel and a pail of some'kind for carrying gasoline incase their O supply is exhausted or for carrying water `to their radiator,v should the water in it run low. An ordinary pail or can and a usual funnel take up a considerablev amount of space in the compartment of an automobile provided for carrying such things as tools, etc. Often, as when considerable luggage is carried on along automobile trip, space in such a compartment is at apremium. g. L ,l

, A feature of thepresent invention resides in the provision of a collapsible device which will occupy onlyY a` small amount lof space in-an automobile `tool compartment, such as noted above, and which will serve as acontainer or pail for carrying a liquid such as gasoline to an 7,5

Vautomobile and also as a funnel for pouring the gasoline kdirectly into the gasoline tank of the automobile Without changing theV gasoline from the container before it begins to 110W into the tank. i

Y In carrying out this last named feature, the stem `portion 12 is made longer than would ordinarily be done if the funnel device were made to serve only as a funnel. Also, the metalwall of the neck is made very flexible whereby its lower end portion may be folded or rolled up in the way illustrated in Figure 1. `This rolling up operation .may be performed similarly to the way the lower end of a partly emptied tube of tooth paste is` rolled up to force all of .the remaining paste upward near the mouth of the tube. After k the lower end of ythestem 12 is rolled up a shortV distance, itshould be wrapped and tied with a piece 15 of cord or flexible wire. -The lower end of thek stem can be tightly closed by the above described simple operation and then the funnel logwhen Ysufficiently large, as will usually be the case, can serve satisfactorily as a-pail for carry ing a considerable quantity of even thin liquids such as water or gasoline. f

A handle device for a'liquid container or pail made from the funnel 10 las described above can be provided by simply inserting a short sticklS through the holes 14 in the ears 13. Thena hand of a person can grasp the stick ,between the ears and carry the funnel-container very `conveniently. If desired, a wire bail of a well known kind may be used-with the funnel in place of the stick S.

Assuming for example-that a motorist hasrun out of gasoline at a point distant from a iilling station and has brought a gallon of gasoline to his car in a combined funnel-container such as shown in Figure 1. He can pour this gasoline into his tank by simply removing the piece 15 of cord and rolling down the lower end of the stem 12 wherein it will take approximately the position shown by the dotted lines in Figure 1 because of pressure of the gasoline. It will be understood that the neck will be rolled down over the inlet of the gasoline tank and the gasoline in the container can be emptied into the tank with little or no waste.

y In Figure 3, is illustrated another form. my invention may take when used for a special purpose. It is common to sell kerosene oil andlsometimes gasoline in sheet metal cans C shaped substantially as illustrated in Fig. 3. Often thepurchaser of a can of kerosene or gasoline. has no'Y funnel with him for emptying the contents of the can into the tank of his tractor or truck. To care for such a situation, a small size inexpensive form of my funnel generally designated as 20 can be made with a body 2l and single ear 23 provided with a hole through it large enough to engage around the usual short neck or spout member 24 of the can through which its contents are emptied. The solid line representation of the funnel 20 in Figure 3 is shown larger as regards the size of the can C than will ordinarily be the case in practicing my invention. This is done to better illustrate certain features of the funnel 20.

The engagement of the apertured ear 23 around the neck 24 serves a double purpose. It holds the funnel 20 in operative position relative to the can C. Also while in a flat condition, a funnel 20 of suitable size can be fastened by its apertured ear 23 to the usual neck member 24 of a can C soas to lie compactly on the usual flat top of the dealer will ordinarily be quite low.

As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the funnell 20, may be constructed of two pieces of sheet metal and have two joints 25, one at each side, running from top to bottom. The engaging edges of the two pieces of sheet metal may be folded over and tightly fastened together along the lines of the joints 25 by a wellknown kind of crimping operation as indicated in Fig. 4.

If a funnel of the kind shown in Figures 3 and 4 is collapsed or flattened so as to have its two fold lines coincide with the lines of the two oppositely disposed joints 25, the pliable metal will need to be bent or folded through only about one half the angle as would be required if the .fold lines came at other places than the joints 25.

To enable a collapsible funnel of either the Figure 1 or Figure 3 kind to give a maximum length of service, they should not be always collapsed along the same fold lines.

To open out a collapsed funnel which embodies my invention, the body 11 can be satisfactorily spread open with a persons hand since it is unnecessary to return it to an accurate conical form. To open out the'stein 12, a pointed end of the stick S may be gently pushed through the stem, or a piece of strong cord or wire 26 may be tied to a piece of cloth 27 and the latter pulled through the pliable'stem 12 as indicated in Figure 2. A narrow flat stick may be used to open the stem 12 by inserting it in the latter and turning the stick gently until the tube is suf- Lesaezs ciently open. Such a ilat stick can be kept in a collapsed funnel.

It will be understood that when a funnel is constructed according to my invention to serve both as a funnel and as a large pail, the ears 13 should be made sufficiently strong for this service. This can be easily done by making the ears sufficiently large, or thicker'than other portions of the funnel (see Figure 2);. Also; the ears can be made of differentand stronger material than the remainder of the funnel without de-f' parting from the scope of my invention. Tourists and others may go for a long time without needing a funnel or pail but it is considered'prudent to carry both since it can easily happen to any motorist that both of these articles will be greatly needed. It can be readily seen that according'to my invention there is provided a collapsible funnel requiring but little space that can be manufactured to sell at such a low pricethat it will serve itspurpose-satisfactorily even if usedl butA a few times in a long period. When my funnel has been made of pure soft sheet copper, it has lastedin practice over twelve collapsing and restoring operations..

Variations may be resorted to within. the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus describedmy invention, I claim:

l. A metal funnel including a hollowA dis,- charge stem, said sternl being sufficiently,` pliable to permit it to` be folded back on itselt by the users iinger so as to form a tight closure of the discharge outlet through said' stem, whereby said funnel may serve temporarily. as acontainerA for iiuids` said stem being sufficientlypli able to permit it to be readily straightenedy thereafter for discharging said funnel of the fluids therein.

2. A funnel including a pliable metallicgbowl-r shaped body, an integral discharge stemmade-of metal' sufficiently pliable to permit saidi stein to be folded back on itself by the usersngers tighty ly enoughto close said discharge stem against the escape of fluids in said body, andv two` ear members integrally joined toI said bodyr onf opposite sides of the rim thereof, each ear having a hole for receiving a carrying member, whereby fluid may be carried in said funnel, said: stem being straightenable and openable while the uid is held in said funnel body above said stem,` whereby the fluid` may flow downwardly out of said funnel through said stem.

3. In combination, a funnel having a hollow, pliable discharge stem, a portion ofv said'stemfbes ing folded back on itself toeffect a tight closure of the discharge opening through said stem, and a fastening member arranged for holding. said folded back stem portion in positiony to keep said discharge opening closed against the pressure of liquid Ain said funnel, said member being releaseable while said funnel is maintained inf an upright operative position, and said stem being read-.- ily unfolded while said funnel. is maintained in roo Y ITU ner

said upright position, saidstem being sufliciently i4() funnel being foldable to a iiat condition, the fold 150 said funnel is disposed in effective condition for shipment to distributors, the metal of said funnel being sufficiently pliable to permit the purchaser of said attened funnel to open up the same with his fingers alone to substantial operative position.

6. AThe structure described in claim 2 characterized by a stiff, relatively straight member being inserted lthrough said ears for carrying said funnel,

RUFUS BIBB LILLARD. 

